All Cylinders
Pizzeria GM and GianMarco’s are both open for lunch and dinner again.
By Jan Walsh
Two of our favorite restaurants are open again! And over the past couple of weeks Kev and I have been to Pizzeria GM twice and GianMarco’s for lunch and dinner. We previously picked up curbside from both restaurants. And GianMarco’s and Pizzeria GM are still offering curb service—with many takers.
Pizzeria GM:
While lunching at Pizzeria GM today, we discover today’s special of Lobster BLT. Oh, my! No pizza for us today. We both order it and substitute their famous fries for the house made chips. We also order our favorite fun apps: Breaded and Fried Fresh Mozzarella Bocconcini and Wagyu Beef Pigs in a Blanket. We pair with handcrafted cocktails and Blackberry Farm Saison on tap. These cheese balls, as I call them, are one of my favorite dishes in the whole world. I am seriously addicted. And I have learned not to cut them. Instead I dip each one into the warm marinara, and pop them whole into my mouth… The mouthfeel of biting through the warm, crunchy crust into the burst of creamy cheese is a sensational experience of textures and flavors. And who would make a pig in blanket of Wagyu beef? Giani. This delicious and delightful app is both healthy and fun, which does not often happen.
On the first taste of my Bloody Mary, I am intrigued by this unique synthesis and a hint of sweetness that I can’t quite identify. I ask the bartender, “What is in this?” He smiles and shares the specific ingredient. Ah! I would have never guessed but will also never tell. Highly recommended!
The Lobster BLT sandwiches arrive piled high with a generous catch of succulent lobster atop bacon, lettuce, and tomato. We eat every morsel of this marvelous, melt in the mouth sandwich. I ask Chef how long it will run because I want to write about it. And just like that, it is extended a week longer… They will fly more in so that I could share this deliciousness with my readers. So, I immediately recommended it on social media and on Birmingham Restaurants as well as its newsletter, Wine and Dine Weekly to get the news out well before this review.
On our previous lunch here we ordered the same apps with the same tried and true results. And we split the Tomato and Watermelon Salad and Fiocchi. Both the watermelon and tomatoes are divine, meaty, and juicy. This salad has it all, as the acidity of the tomatoes and sweetness of the watermelon are complimented by the creaminess of the cheese. And I must admit I have been hesitant to order the fiocchi here because it is my favorite dish at GianMarco’s. What have I been waiting for? I have never had a better fiocchi—buttery delicate dumplings filled with pears and Gorgonzola in an incredible sage butter sauce with walnuts and prosciutto.
GianMarco's Restaurant:
GianMarco’s resumed dine in lunch service today. And we are among the first patrons in the dining room. We were also here a couple of weeks ago when they opened for dinner. And we did curbside take home when they were closed.
Tables are well spaced, creating an open ambiance. The kitchen is already running like a well-oiled machine. And a new door has been added between the dining room and the private dining space to accommodate tables that would have also been in the dining room.
For appetizers we split a tomato and mozzarella salad, which is not on the menu, but was offered upon my inquiry of when tomato salad or Louie will be on the menu. Dead ripe tomatoes layered with thick slices of fresh mozzarella are drizzled in aged balsamic, and EVO in a bed of micro basil. This refreshing, salad whets our appetites for entrees.
Although it has been months since GianMarco’s was open for lunch, and we have missed our favorite pastas, we opt for other entrees. Kev has a tasty chicken po boy with shredded lettuce and tomato served with pasta salad. And I opt for the crab cake, which I also had recently at dinner. My scrumptious Jumbo Lump Crab Cake is plump and overfilled with fresh crab meat. It floats atop a spicy corn moux chou with tabasco butter. Delicate meets spicy in this dish.
At our dinner here a couple of weeks ago, we toast the reopening with Delamotte, our favorite Champagne as we caught up with Marco. We share the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake for apps. Kev opts for his favorite dinner dish: Grilled Prime 14 Ounce Ribeye Chianti sauce, with Brussel sprouts, topped with Gorgonzola butter. And his Irish palate prevails as he substitutes mashed potatoes for the mac and cheese, to which I sigh because I planned to steal a few of those rigatoni, baked in four cheeses. The steak is cooked to order, juicy, and tender. The lumpy, buttery mashed potatoes are inclusive of some skin, just the way he likes it. And the fresh Brussel sprouts round out the meal. And as usual, I order from the specials of the night menu. My entree special of Poached Maine Lobster and Quail Egg is enhanced by a butter and sage reduction. This lovely dish satisfies my dinner desires of GianMarco's handmade pasta and lobster, generous in portion yet light style.
We share a fruity, in season, blueberry cobbler for dessert with the last glass of our Champagne. And as we savor each beautiful bite, I feel grateful and will never take dining here for granted again.
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